It is not uncommon for gardeners to fall in love with the columbine. No wonder, because its flowers look unusual and the plant requires little care. If you want to save yourself the purchase, you can easily propagate the columbine using the following methods!
How can you successfully propagate columbine?
Columbine can be easily propagated by self-sowing, sowing seeds, pre-growing indoors or by dividing. The plants often sow themselves, or you sow seeds directly or grow them indoors before planting them out.
Self-sowing – every year again
You don't necessarily have to worry about the propagation of columbines. Once planted, these perennials can reappear every year. They like to self-seed. Their small, black colored and elongated seeds ripen in summer. When ripe, the seed capsule pops open and throws the seeds into the surrounding area.
The results of self-sowing are plants that are not varietal, i.e. H. do not have the same characteristics as the mother plant. You may receive columbines with completely different flower colors. This can be positive, but also negative. Decide for yourself whether you want to cut off the spent flowers immediately or let the self-sowing run wild!
Sowing the seeds directly
- Period: between mid-April and the end of May
- if applicable Enrich the soil with compost beforehand
- Mix seeds with sand
- Spread seed-sand mixture
- rake lightly with a rake
- Moisten the floor with a garden hose (€15.00 on Amazon) with a spray attachment
- from a size of 5 cm - prick out if necessary
Doing the preparatory work at home
Pre-growing at home:
- between the end of February and the beginning of March
- Fill the container with sowing soil
- sow 2 seeds in the middle of the pot
- scatter seeds in seed tray
- Sow seeds 3 to 5 mm deep or cover with soil
- Keep substrate moist
- Plant out in a sunny to partially shaded location from May
Sharing strong columbines
While dividing is common practice with other perennials, it is not very common with columbines. But this proliferation is possible! You should proceed extremely carefully so as not to injure the sensitive roots. Dig up the rootstock of the Columbine in autumn or spring, divide it and plant the new specimens in a suitable place.
Tips & Tricks
There are also cold-germinating columbines. This includes, for example, the species called Aquilegia chrysantha. Your seeds should be placed in the refrigerator for 4 weeks before sowing or on the cool balcony in spring.